Council hears complaint, after school program to be moved

During a work session on Monday, April 1, the Daleville City Council heard concerns from citizen Billy Long regarding council appointments to the Daleville City School Board.

An upcoming vacancy on the Daleville City School Board was announced during the council’s March 19 meeting.

“It’s nothing new,” Long said about his concerns with appointments. “This school board up here, it’s the same ones over and over. How many times and how many years does a person have to be on the school board?”

He said the board has become “a little clique” because of the continued appointments of the same individuals as school board members. He also referenced school hiring practices, including background checks, and individuals being “buddy-buddy with somebody.”

Long specifically referred to current school board member Ricky McLin throughout his statements during the work session.

In response to his statements about background checks of system employees, Council member Scott Moore stated that school boards do not perform background checks and only act on recommendations from the superintendent.

Long also said repetitive appointments of the same board members leads to “control.”

“It has to change,” he said. “You all (the council) are controlling it right now.”

He also expressed concerns about representation of other races on the school board.

“I know that 10 years ago, there was 62 or 63 percent (of the system’s student population), and I would like to know what it is now, that was black and other,” he said. “We’ve got one black board member up there for a percentage of what of the kids, the ratio?

“This is garbage, and you all know it’s garbage,” he said.

Hardrick suggested putting term limits on board member tenures, but City Clerk Angelia Filmore stated state law places restrictions on school boards and their members’ terms.

“We understand your concern,” Mayor Jayme Stayton said. “I’m sure everyone here is aware of it. We’ll talk more about it.”

Long was scheduled to officially speak to the council at the April 2 meeting, but was not in attendance.

The council took no action on Long’s statements. An appointment is expected to be made at the April 16 meeting, and the term of the appointment would end in 2024. There were two letters of interest as of the April 2 meeting, according to City Clerk Angelia Filmore.

In other business, though no official vote was necessary, the council told Stayton they supported him asking Parks and Recreation Director Brook Beasley to move the after school program back to the city’s recreation center following a council tour of the department’s facilities on Thursday, March 21.

The after school program was moved to its current location, the Boy Scout Hut, about a year ago. The council addressed the change in venue during its Feb. 4 work session after Beasley requested internet be added to the Boy Scout Hut at an earlier meeting.

On Feb. 4 meeting, the council questioned prices charged to hold classes at the recreation center as well as the different services offered.

Beasley spoke to the council about classes offered and associated costs during the council’s March 6 work session. She also cited safety as one of the determining factors for her decision to move the program to the Hut.

During its March 19 meeting, the council voted to remove this item of business from the agenda until the city’s CPA could provide guidelines for the recreation department.

The council then commented on the facilities and the placement of the after school program during its April 1 work session.

“I was a bit dismayed at children being at the (Boy) Scout Hut,” Council member Jo Reese said. “It physically reeked. It’s dingy; it’s dark, has no real play, interactive-type stuff.”

She said the space available at the Billy Adkins Recreation Center actually offers the students “more freedom” and more recreational opportunities, such as with the nearby playground.

Reese also said there are two classrooms, with one exclusively connected to a bathroom, so safety using the bathroom should not be as much of a problem.

“Some of those children, after the after-care program is over, might well want to take Taekwondo or dance or any number of things over there,” she said.

“I felt that the Boy Scout Hut was just cold,” Council member Katheryne Horace said. “They’ve done some things to try to enhance the look, but it just didn’t create that learning environment down there that I think they would have in the community center. I felt that they were just isolated down there.

“I support bringing the youth back to the community center,” she said.

Stayton said the change to come back to the recreation center would occur after the school year ends.

The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 16, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.